THE CONFUSION OF TONGUES

The origin of multiple languages is often regarded as a gradual process that unfolded over tens of thousands of years. However, from a biblical perspective, the diversity of tongues can be traced back to a supernatural event known as the confusion of tongues or the Tower of Babel incident, as recorded in the book of Genesis.

According to the biblical account, the entire span of human history is some 6,027 years as of September-October, 2024 (approximately 6,000 years), in a timescale originating September-October, 4004 BC, significantly shorter than the one proposed by mainstream historical and linguistic models. Within this compressed timeline, a logical explanation for the origin of multiple languages emerges.

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.  (Genesis 11:1-8 KJV)

The Bible records that the earliest humans, from Adam to the time after the Flood, lived for several centuries. This longevity would have allowed for a single original language to be preserved and passed down over a much longer period than is typically assumed. It is reasonable to assume that Adam and Eve, the first human beings according to the Bible, spoke a single original language, which would have been passed down through their descendants, such as Noah and his sons, and potentially up until the time of Eber (from whom the name "Hebrew" is derived) in 2182 BC (Ctesius of Cnidus).

The pivotal event that disrupted this linguistic continuity was the confusion of tongues at the Tower of Babel, as described above in Genesis 11. This account narrates how God confounded the language of the people, causing them to be scattered and speak different languages. This supernatural intervention could explain the sudden diversification of languages from a single original tongue.

With the confusion of tongues at Babel, and considering the long lifespans of the early generations, the process of language diversification and development could have occurred more rapidly than is typically assumed in mainstream linguistic theories. The biblical perspective presents a coherent explanation for the diversity of languages we see today, even within the shorter timescale of human history presented in the Bible.

While this perspective may challenge mainstream theories of language development over tens of thousands of years, it aligns with a literal interpretation of the biblical narrative. The confusion of tongues at Babel was not an implausible event but rather a logical explanation for the origin of multiple languages within the biblical timescale of around 6,000 years.

As we contemplate the origin of languages, it is essential to consider diverse perspectives, including those rooted in sacred texts and beliefs. The biblical account of the confusion of tongues offers a unique and thought-provoking lens through which to view this fundamental aspect of human culture and communication.

Written by Zach Anderson (zmanderson@gmail.com) and placed in public domain at ultrafree.org/articles. Feel free to repost, free of charge.